Animated electric bird and character



June 22-, 1943, s v 2,322,668

ANIMATED ELECTRIC BIRD AND CHARACTER Filed June 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 22, 1943. H. H. SELVAGE ANIMATED ELECTRIC BIRD AND CHARACTER Filed June 13, 1942 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 musical Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE A ANIMATED ELECTRIC BIRD AND CHARACTER Harry H; Selvage, Eureka, Calif. 7 Application June 13, 1942, Serial No. 446,911

r 1 Claim. (o1.4e-124) This inventionrelates to the ofiicial class of instruments and more particularly animated electric birds and characters.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of animated electric birds and characters adapted to be operated in conjunction with an orchestra or other form of musical entertainment.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of animated electric birds and characters adapted to be actuated by a suitable circuit maker and breaker synchronized with music played by an orchestra or other musical instruments so as to cause certain portions of their bodies to simulate'natural motion thereof.

A further object of this invention resides in the particular construction of the electric operating means causing motion of certain portions of the bodies of the characters elected to perform with the music to be played.

A still further object of this invention resides in the particular construction of the electromagnet.

Aside from the aforesaid objects of this invention is the provision of means for distributing the magnetic impulses of the electro-mag net from one end to the other.

With these and other objects in view this invention resides in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of elements to be hereinafter more fully set forth in the specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim and, while this disclosure depicts my present conception of the invention, the right is reserved to resort to such changes in construction and arrangement of elements as come within the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application;

Fig. 1 is a side View of an imitation bird constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view'thereof taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front view on a reduced scale of the bird illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view of the electric wiring.

In the present illustration of this invention the numeral 5 designates, in general, an imitation bird having a bodyportion 6 formed of suitable dielectric material such as plastic wood on the back of which is secured a metal strip 1 supporting a pair of thin wings 8 of dielectric material carrying a metal plate 8a and tail 9 of dielectric material as by means of hinges H), said wings being normally held approximately one quarter of an inch from the body portion by suitable leaf springs ll carried by laterally extending -magrietic arms l2 connected to the core l3 of an electro-magnet l4 disposed Within the body portion.

Pivotally securedtothe front, end of theJaforesaid metalstrip "I in opposed spaced relation to the front end of the core 13 of the electromagnet is a metal arm 15 normally held out of contact with the core by a spring I6, said arm l5 being hingedly connected to the pivotal lower member I! of the birds bill 18 by a link I9.

Secured to the tail 9 and normally disposed in spaced relation with the rear end of the core of the electro-magnet I4 is a metal arm 20 which is secured to the tail supporting leaf of the hinge H).

The body of the bird is rigidly secured on a metal perch 21 through the instrumentality of hollow metal legs 22 and 22a while the perch is removably supported by a copper or brass plate 23 as by inserting the lower end thereof through an aperture 24 in the plate with a collar 25 thereon resting on the plate.

Connected to the electro-magnet and extending through the leg 22 of the bird is an electric wire 26, which continues through the standard of the perch while a wire 21 from the electromagnet is soldered or grounded to the leg 22a, said wire 26 extends to a suitable circuit maker and breaker 28 which is in turn connected to one side of a volt circuit 29 whose other side is connected to the plate 23 by a wire 30.

Through the instrumentality of an imitation bird or other character constructed as aforesaid, the electric circuit maker and breaker 28, having its contacts normally open, is started, Whereupon, current will intermittently flow through the contacts thereof as they close and continue through electric wire 26 to the electric-magnet l4 and return through electric wire 21, perch 2| and electric wire 30 back to the ground side of the supply line 29. As the circuit intermittently flows through the arms l2 and core of the electric magnet 14, the arm [5 connected to the bill l8 and arm 20 connected to the tail 9, together with the wings 8 will be caused to swing on their pivots, thus continuous interruption of the circuit through the electric magnet by the circuit maker and breaker 28 will attract and release the aforesaid movable elements and cause them to operate in life like manner.

With an imitation bird or other character constructed as aforesaid and the circuit maker and breaker synchronized with an orchestra or other means of playing music, magnetic impulses will be created by the electro-magnet whereupon the wings, tail and lower bill of the bird will be caused to move in simulation to natural movement thereof by live birds, it being understood a variety of different kinds of birds, animals or the body portion of the bird and having its core extending from its front and rear ends, laterally extending magnetic arms connected to the front end of the core with their outer ends disposed in opposed relation to the metal plates carried by the wings, springs carried by the laterally extending magnetic arms with their free ends bearing against the inner surfaces of the wings, a metal plate secured to the tail and yieldingly disposed in spaced relation tothe rear end of the electro-magnet core, a metal plate pivotally secured to the front end of the metal strip and yieldingly disposed in spaced relation to the front the like may be assembled to likewise perform with or without music.

Through the instrumentality of embodiment of the elements set forth, it is manifest a novel and attractiveauxiliary to music playing instruments and the like is provide d and, through the simplicity of construction and arrangement of the same, the characters can be cheaply manufacturedand sold at a reasonable price.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire top rotect by Letters Patent is:

An imitationbird comprising a dielectric body portion, a strip secured to the back thereof,

,metal .wings formed of dielectric material hingedly secured to the strip and disposed in close spaced relation to the body portion, metal plates secured to the inner surfaces of the wings, a. metal tail hingedly connected to the rear end of the strip, an electro-magnet secured within end of the electro-magnet core, a lower bill .member pivoted beneath the bill of the bird, a

through the standard of the perch and one side of a source of electric supply and a conduit connected to the othr side of thesource of electric supply and the perch supporting, plate.

, HARRY SELVAGE. 

